Morning journal and courier., 1887-10-26
THE vERNIs MARTIN PROCESS.
How the Beautiful Decorated French
Furniture Is Made.

Furniture Is Made.
Conspicuous among the fine French furni-
ture in che stores are the cabinets, screens
and other small articles with painted figures
and highly polished that are made by the
process known as the vernis Martin. The
recent revival of this process in France has
led to the reproduction of many fine original
examples of the period of Louis XIV, as
we'll as to new experiments. In Paris the
mania for knicknacks in pale shaded and
painted wood highly polished increases dali
ly, and it has naturally led to many inn
provements, being introduced in the vari-
GUS colors and varnishes used for this
method. Anyone fairly clever with the
brush can, without fear, attempt this ar
tistic work, the mechanical process of
which can be divided roughly into four
parts-the preparation of wood, grounding,
painting of the subject and vanishing
1. Preparation of the wood. Spread on
the white wood two coats of yellow medi-
UNI. Be careful to let the first coating dry
perfectly before applying the next one.
When again the whole is quite dry rub
with fine emery paper to obtain an even
and smooth surface ready to receive wash
of the "Martin yarnish," which is brushed
over the ground twice, leaving also in this
operation due time between each wash to
tween each application.
2. Grounding. The groundwork is either
plain, red, green, blue or fanciful, viz,
sprinkled with gold, red and yellow. For a
plain foundation of red, green or blue use
ordinary oil colors mixed with vernis Martin
in rather thin or liquid state, avoiding any
slops or Jumps; however, few artists pre-
fer to employ special powders mixed with
essence and an admixture of vernis Martin.
For gold ground brush over the foundation a
particular solution, and two hours afterwards
begin the gliding operation with gold leaf or
gold powder, which is in turn protected with
a coat of the glossy varnish. To obtain a
shade of old gold or FIRE color apply a coat
ing of carmine and yellow lake diluted with
varnish. For the granite-like and ayentur-
inc grounds strew some spangles or powder
over the second wash of varnish, and for this
time only sprinkle before the coat is COM
pletely dry; then, to give polish, lay coat
of yellow lake and vert de girls mixed with
the brilliant vernis Martin.
8. Subject. The picture is painted with
ordinary oil colors, rather thin and very
smooth. 1t usually represents shepherds
and shepherdesses, flowers, fruit, allegories
in the lively and graceful style peculiar to
Vatican, Boucher, Lancret, etc.
4. Varnish. When the painting is thor
oughly dry apply successfully three, four
and even Eve coats of this celebrated var
nish. never forgetting to allow each layer to
dry perfectly before beginning the next
1t is doubtful whether this artistic pastime,
or rather employment, will ever become COM
mon. It requires great care and a certain
amount of time, for the beauty and durabil-
ity of the work depend above all on number
less coatings of mediums and varnishes,
which must be allowed to dry perfectly be-
tween each wash, and during this slow and
tedious process no dust whatever must fall
on the stick ingredients or the work will be
a failure. The painting itself is really en-
closed between two crusts, represented by
the layers of the glossy varnish applied be-
fore and after the painting is done. Begin
ners in this work will do well therefore to
begin their skill on small trifes in white
wood, such as tubs, milk stools, fans, rims
af tambourines etc